Mathison Museum of Natural History

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Pterygotus sp.
Common name(s): sea scorpion

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Series/Collection: Yowies Lost Kingdoms Series A
Year of Production: 2000
Size/Scale: Body length approx. 6.5 cm for a scale of 1:8.3-1:29.2 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Presumably unique (see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: Being one of the original Australian Yowies, assembly is required. Like many of the prehistoric animals in the Lost Kingdoms line, this eurypterid was not identified to the genus or species level. The paper does indicate it represents an animal from the Silurian, and if representing fossils from the Wallace Shale, it is probably a member of the genus Pterygotus. The scale above is calculated based on the genus as a whole.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Middle-Late Silurian; probably in most seas and oceans at the time near land masses
Habitat: Marine; benthic
Diet: Predator on benthic invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: The taxonomy of Australian eurypterids appears far from resolved, but the middle-to-late Silurian fossils from the Wallace Shale appear to be attributable to a Pterygotus. Melbournopterus crossotus from the Late Silurian of the Dargile Formation is now considered a brachiopod.



Clue for tomorrow's species:
This Carboniferous creature was probably an ambush predator both in water and along the banks of marshes and swamps, using its powerful jaws for a 'grip and drag' hunting technique.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Strepsodus sp. 'Ducabrook rhizodont'

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Series/Collection: Yowies Lost Kingdoms Series B
Year of Production: 2001
Size/Scale: Body length approx. 7.5 cm for a maximum scale of 1:46.7
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Being one of the original Australian Yowies, some assembly is required. This figure was originally marketed as a 'Ducabrook rhizodont' and is now assigned to the genus Strepsodus, although a species name has yet to be given to it. To my knowledge, this is the only broadly commercially available figure of a rhizodont.

About the Animal:
Geographic distribution: Lower Carboniferous of present-day Australia
Habitat: Freshwater swamps, coal forests
Diet: Fish, amphibians and other tetrapods, invertebrates; cannibalism likely
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Strepsodus likely spent time both in the water but also on land. The rhizodont may have come onto land to pursue prey close to the water's edge, or to evade aquatic predators.



Clue for tomorrow's species:
This very large lepidopteran was named after one of the sons of Zeus from Greek mythology.